


Elastic Heart [DISCONTINUED]

by Indromeda



Category: The Incredibles (2004), The Incredibles 2 (2018)
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Angst, F/F, F/M, I'm too gay for this ship, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-05-29 07:45:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15068453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Indromeda/pseuds/Indromeda
Summary: Helen Parr didn't get it.She defeated the 'villain', saved a city, and helped regain the legality needed for Supers to once again be able to practice heroism. So why was it that when she thought of Evelyn Deavor, she felt so conflicted?One visit to the woman, and Helen figured that she would be able to leave the past behind her and move forward with her family. But how wrong she was, and how interesting did things become.





	1. Chapter 1

It had been just over a month since the dramatic events aboard Everjust, the DevTech hydrofoil, had transpired. Since then, Supers had been officially given the legalization needed to once again practice heroism, and while most power-bearing individuals had been overjoyed, there was one in particular who found herself in somewhat of a slump.

 

Helen Parr, the very face of the movement to get civilians and media to view Supers in a positive light, sat on the crescent shaped house that she and her family had been “loaned” only a few weeks ago. As compensation for the stunts his sister had pulled, Winston Deavor had just about begged them to permanently reside in the home, and while she and Bob had insisted it wasn’t necessary, no real move had been made to leave, either. Helen had spent significantly less time there than the rest of her family, meaning she could safely say that she had no real attachments to the place. But when the idea of looking for their own home had surfaced over dinner recently, the looks on the others faces had been enough to tell her that it wasn’t really an option. 

 

Oh, well. One less thing to worry about. Not that it helped.

 

With her mind free of worry of finding a new place to live, and the stress of trying to defeat the mysterious “Screenslaver” relieved, she instead had a good amount of time to reflect on the villainous mastermind behind recent events. 

 

It hadn’t been the pizza man who had been wrongfully imprisoned for a short period of time while the real perpetrator was on the loose. No, instead, the person behind the whole thing had been one who she thought she could trust, in her face the whole time. Evelyn Deavor, the very woman who had seemed so intent on helping Supers regain public favor once more, had been the one to play Helen like a puppet. Had she succeeded and the hydrofoil crashed, the destruction that would have been unleashed on New Urbem would have been nothing short of catastrophic. So many people had congratulated Helen on her achievement in stopping her. Time and time again, she had heard it suggested an impossible amount of times that it was very likely Evelyn would have ran with the thrill of success, and might have used the Supers to destroy the world in order to reach her end goal. While it sounded plausible, it was here that Helen was stuck.

 

As strange as it might have sounded, and despite the overwhelming evidence that might have indicated otherwise, the woman found herself genuinely convinced that Evelyn would not have gone as far as to destroy the world. She wasn’t even sure if she would have further ravaged the world, either. After the Everjust had collided on land it might have been left at that, and the Supers would have been left to deal with the mess. Not really a good thought, but better than what a lot of people had pegged the Deavor sister to be capable of doing.

 

Sighing heavily, the sound echoed throughout the massive room as Helen rested her chin in her palm. It was only her that morning. Bob was out, reveling in the fact he could once again perform Super duties. Dash and Violet were at school. Hell, even Jack-Jack was out of the house, spirited away by an eager Edna Mode who was determined to seek out any more potential powers he might have. (When Helen had asked to go along, Edna had insisted it was “a process that requires us to be alone, dahling”). All things considered, she found herself in a house that felt too big, with only her conflicting thoughts to keep her company.

 

Slowly, Helen slid her head down until her chin rested in the crook of her arm, fingers sifting through her hair. A thought had already started to drift to the front of her mind. Try as she might to suppress it, it was gaining momentum, and as quickly as it had formed it was just as quickly overwhelming by the time it had truly reached the surface. Soon, all she could think, over and over again, were simply two words.

 

_ Visit her. _

 

“Why?” Helen asked aloud, only for her cheeks to grow warm when she realized what she had done. Straightening up on the crimson cushions the woman shook her head, pressing her palms against either side of her face. Why, she wondered once more? Why visit someone who tried to put her and her family through a lifetime of torment? Someone who had tied her up and tossed her in a freezer? Someone who tried to kill her? 

 

Her brow furrowed at the thought. Technically, she supposed, Evelyn hadn’t tried to do that. Granted she was willing to let her die, but she hadn’t made a direct move to try and murder Helen personally. That revelation was one that bothered her most. Rubbing her hands in slow circles, the brunette shut her eyes and allowed herself to dwell on the ideas bubbling in her mind. What harm was there, really, in dropping by? The worst that could happen was that she would be turned away and denied a visit. And if such were to happen, well, then she figured she would take that as a sign, and leave well enough alone. Before she had even realized she was moving, Helen had already risen off of the couch, her mind now set on her next course of action.

 

She would visit Evelyn Deavor.


	2. Chapter 2

Municiberg Penitentiary. 

 

A massive, brown-bricked structure that bore vague resemblance to a castle. Its walls were thick and fortified, the graying and barred windows hardly allowing anyone to see more than ambiguous shadows when looking from the outside, and the same could be said from within. Arms folded over her chest, Helen inclined her head to look up at the mass of barbed wire perched on top of the looming fence. It surrounded the premise in a foreboding barrier, and she had to suppress a shiver as she neared the chain-link, instead burrowing just a little further into the black turtleneck she had opted to wear. A favorite, as of late.

 

“I know,” the warden’s voice was both sudden and loud enough to make her jump, and she turned her head quickly to look at him. A man of average height, donned in a gray and black uniform, the warden viewed her as a mere civilian in her simple attire. He chuckled at her start, opening the gate and motioning her forward with a hand. “It’s a lot to take in at first, isn’t it?”

 

“Yes, it is.” Helen agreed. Although, this was not the first time she had been there at all, and naturally so when her alternate identity was a superhero. As Elastigirl, she had been there quite a few times, dumping off a criminal here or a villain there. But, she knew that if Elastigirl were to suddenly show up for a casual visit, not only would it draw an unnecessary amount of attention, Bob would find out. She had no intention of letting her husband learn of where she had gone that day. It was supposed to be a mere in and out, nothing more, and she was well aware that if Bob were to hear, he would want to push the matter. Maybe, worst of all, he would ask her  _ why _ she went, and with no valid answer to give, that was a scenario she wanted to avoid completely.

 

And so, it was simply Helen Parr who was visiting the penitentiary. With the help of Rick Dicker, the lanyard around her neck allowed her to go essentially wherever she wanted on the premise. Even in his retirement, Rick remained one of the most helpful allies she could have ever asked for.

 

“I gotta be honest with you, Mrs. Parr,  I’m surprised that you wanna bother with  _ her _ .” The warden snorted, nodding at the guards waiting outside the door to open it. Chilly air and bluish fluorescent lighting greeted them. “After all the shit she pulled, she deserves a lot more than what they’re giving her. I mean, honestly!” Coming to a halt, the man threw up his arms, suddenly involved with his own rant. “Nearly killing the ambassador, almost destroying New Urbem, framing Su-”

 

“Warden?” Helen interjected. The warden stopped mid-sentence, and she flashed him a small smile “Sorry, I don't mean to cut you off, but I have a limited amount of time...”

 

“Oh! No, no, Please, don’t apologize!” His mood changed completely, a hearty laugh welling up in his chest as he went back to his casually friendly demeanor. “Didn’t mean to eat up your time; I just get real heated about things like that.” With a shake of his head the warden began to lead the way once more. “This way, Mrs. Parr.”

 

The further away from the entrance they drew, the less welcoming the scenery was (not that it was all that inviting in the first place). Rather than passing through the deceivingly bright lobby to await escort to a visiting room, Helen instead was led down dark hallways that were otherwise restricted to civilians. Movie-esq, every other light would flicker, and a man or woman clad in uniform would march dutifully by. Every turn taken was another pang of uncertainty; with each step the woman found herself truly challenging her motives. She still wasn’t entirely sure why she was doing this, though she had come too far now to suddenly turn back…

 

At the very end of the hall was a metal door, lacking any window or visible. On the wall beside it was a light-up panel and, as the warden walked ahead to approach it, he glanced at Helen over his shoulder. “I believe y’should stay close to me, Mrs. Parr. Beyond this door are the worst of the worst. They  _ should _ all be in their cag- er, cells, but y’know. Can’t trust criminals. ‘Specially not the ones in here.” He punched in a code quickly, too quickly for Helen to remember every key, and as the door slid open the once-silent hall was suddenly flooded with noise. Primarily, the dull warble of conversation from numerous people. The warden took a moment to lean in first, before he waved for Helen to follow, and led her in.

 

Helen realized it was, for lack of a better word, like a massive room. Rectangular in shape with two levels, each wall was lined with a number of cell doors, backed by a steel door, with only a small circle of a window on each. The windows, even, were covered by a cage.  _ A bit excessive _ , the woman mused, looking around as they made their way along.  _ Though better safe than sorry, I guess. _

 

From inside of the cells, the occasional yell from an inmate would cut through the air. Sometimes some obscenity at the pair, other times blurbs of conversation to a neighbor that Mrs. Parr would scarcely pick up. Passing a particular cell door, someone called out from within, and Helen had stopped for only a moment before a strong arm rested on her shoulders, being almost pulled the along as the warden picked up pace.

 

“Don’t look at ‘em, Mrs. Parr. They aren’t sayin’ anything that matters, the rat bastards.” He rumbled lowly.

 

The remainder of their trip was uneventful. In one door and out another that mirrored the one from which they came, Helen followed the warden through a few more hallways before they entered a scarcely lit elevator. She folded her arms out of habit, and the man pressed one of the glowing buttons. She had only just started to wonder why they were going so far when her guide spoke up. His voice was exceptionally loud in the enclosed space they shared. “We hadta put her away from the others. Didn’t want her to be in contact with someone who might be able to give her gadgets.”

 

“That makes a lot of sense.” And truly, it did. Helen had witnessed first hand the extent to which Evelyn’s technical genius went, and it could easily become an issue if she were left unchecked. The door slid open before them, and it became  quickly apparent that they were where they had to be. Rather than more doors and winding corridors, inside there was a single light in the ceiling, and only one door at the end. The room on the other side appeared to be better lit than the hall they stood in, and the warden patted her once on the back.

 

“Right in there, Mrs. Parr. Don’t worry about bein’ face-to-face with her; there’ll be bars between the two of you.” He gave her a playful, two-finger salute. “When you’re done, just jump inta the elevator. I’ll be waitin’ up top.”

 

“Thank you, warden. Really.” Helen smiled gratefully at him and took a few steps forward, before glancing at him quizzically. “Do you really trust me alone with her?” 

 

“Usually, I wouldn’t. But if Rick trusts ya enough to put in a word, I don’t see a reason to be wary.” He grinned, and nodded subtly at the corners of the hall, where she could see the subtle glint of lenses. “Smile for the cameras, Mrs. Parr.” With that, the warden returned to the elevator, and Helen slowly walked down the hall toward the door. She wasn’t sure why, but her heart had started to race. One hundred questions about her own motives flooded her mind all at once, and she even considered going back then and there.

 

However, she didn’t.

 

Inhaling deeply Helen walked up to the identification device on the wall and slid the card around her neck through. The red light lit up green, and she took those few seconds to steel herself. Just one visit, and that would be that. Slowly turning the doorknob, the brunette entered the room with great caution -- only for her heart to skip a beat at the sound of a familiar, low chuckle.

 

“Oh, no  _ way _ .”

 

Just as the warden had promised, there was a cell wall dividing the room into two halves. On one side there was nothing more than two chairs, and on the other was a sink, a toilet, a bed, and on the mattress sat Evelyn Deavor. 

 

One leg was crossed over the other and her arms rested on her knee, a grin on the shorter-haired woman’s face. However, despite her expression, her eyes held such a poisonous malice that the Super before her would have dropped dead on the spot if looks could kill. Helen met her gaze evenly. She was surprised by her own sudden calmness; it had been a lot scarier leading up to the moment. As she pulled a chair a little closer to the bars, Evelyn’s mirthless grin widened.

 

“When they told me I had a visitor, I thought it was going to be Win and his lawyers again. But  _ Elastigirl _ ?” She barked out a laugh. “Today must be my lucky day!”

 

“Helen.” The Super corrected her sharply. “My name is Helen.” Her dismay at the use of her real name only seemed to fuel the bitter entertainment Evelyn was toying with.

 

“You know, I would laugh about it not mattering, but people are so stupid that it actually does.” The Deavor sister sneered. “Throw on some sparkling outfit and a mask that barely covers your face and suddenly your unrecognizable. Because, you know, your hairstyle and voice suddenly change, too.”

 

Helen found herself strangely jarred by the way Evelyn was speaking, so cutting and bitter. While the only time she had ‘known’ the woman behind bars was when she had been throwing up a facade, she couldn’t help but wonder if her mannerisms were unfamiliar to Winston, as well. After all Evelyn had been deceiving everybody around her in order to try and reach her goal. She silently made note to check in on the Deavor brother.

 

“Hey, so, are you just going to stare at me? Or am I going to get to know why you’re here?” Evelyn’s voice was sharp in her ears, bringing Helen back to the present moment. A brief wave of heat pulsed through her cheeks, and she leaned back in the chair. 

 

“Well, really… If I’m being honest with you,” oh, great, the one thing she didn’t want to admit. “I don’t know.” Her gaze darted briefly away, and when it returned to Evelyn, there was disbelief written all over the others face. Her perpetually lidded eyes had drifted shut just a bit more as she stared out at Helen. 

 

“So, what? You came all this way, left the kids home, ditched the husband, all to see me, without even knowing why?”

 

The condescending tone nearly made the Super flinch.

 

“The kids are in school, the baby is with a sitter, and my husband is out.” She answered simply. Even though Evelyn was fully aware of her and her family’s identities, Helen would continue to be vague as she would with anyone who didn’t know. It was better to stay in that practice. “I’ll figure out why I’m here in a second.”

 

“Oh, take your  _ time _ , Helen. After all,” Evelyn raised her arms. “I’ve sure got lots of it here!” That same empty grin from before returned to her face. “You know, that’s fine. I actually had something I wanted to say to you, anyway.” Evelyn pressed her fingertips together, shutting her eyes for a few moments. When they opened again, they held a challenging fire. “I just wanted to say fuck you, Helen Parr. Elastigirl. Mrs. Incredible. Whatever.”

 

Helen opened her mouth to reply, yet no sound came out. Yes, they were adults, and Evelyn had proven to her before that she could be a bit profane, though that had been the last thing she had expected to hear. At least, right in that moment. Shutting her mouth, she pursed her lips briefly, fighting the sudden wave of anger that welled up in her.

 

“For what?” The Super demanded. “Foiling your plans to harm and frame innocent people? I know, I can be pretty cruel, can’t I?”

 

“Hey,” the other shrugged. “You said it, not me.”

 

More heated than she should have been, Helen scowled at the response.

 

“The fact I saved you from certain death also makes me pretty vile, too, huh?”

 

“I told you before,” Evelyn’s voice became a serpentine hiss. “Just because you saved me didn’t mean you were in the right. Far from it, actually.” Helen was momentarily dumbfounded, before shaking her head.

 

“That makes no sense; I saved your  _ life _ ! How does that not put me in the right?”

 

“Did you ever consider that maybe I didn’t want you to!?” 

 

The heavy words crushed the anger that had rose in Helen completely. Cold dread trickled through her in its place and Evelyn, who had also started to redden in the face, turned her head to glare at the wall. Silence settled between them and it gave Helen time to think to herself. And now that she thought about it… When she had tried to stop Evelyn from falling, the other had kicked her away, preferring to fall toward the ocean despite what would have inevitably happened. At the time, Helen had only thought it was because she wanted to get away. But when hearing it put in such a way, it made her feel ill, almost.

 

“See? I told you before.” The Deavor sister growled, breaking the quiet. “You expect everyone to put their lives and their trust in your hands, and when they don’t you get haughty. A dangerous mindset for a Super to have. You pretend your work is altruistic, but is it  _ really _ ?” Evelyn’s gaze was cold as it returned to the stunned and stricken woman on the other side of the bars. Helen averted her eyes, shame written on her face. “What? Do you want me to bow down and thank you for ruining everything I worked so hard for? Oh, no, wait; you want me to thank you for my chance to go to prison, right?”

 

“Evelyn…” She began. Yet try as she might, there were no words the super could find to be a proper response. As she slumped in her chair, she felt not only defeated, but oddly uncertain at the same time. Helen would have never second-guessed her decision to save someone before, yet there she was, doing exactly that. The second she realized she was questioning her choice in saving someone’s life she shook her head vehemently as if to break apart the thought and scatter it, so that it would never return. “Well, you can hate me all you want. But I saved your life, and I know that what I did was right.” 

 

In response, she was given a contemptuous snort, and Evelyn turned to face away from her. 

 

“Whatever. Are you done wasting my time now?” She asked dismissively. Helen wanted to say no, and she even wanted to try and push for a little more reasoning behind the startling revelation she had been presented with. But she was well aware that she had long overstayed her welcome (if there had even been one in the first place), and so she nodded, getting up and pushing the chair back to where she had found it. Lifting her gaze toward the cell, her eyes lingered on the woman facing away from here. 

 

“It was good seeing you again, Evelyn.” Helen remarked. She watched the other tense, briefly, before she shook her head.

 

“You’re pitiful.”

 

Nothing but stony silence followed. Biting back a sigh, Helen turned on her heel and departed from the room, with the thoughts of the encounter playing over on her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wheeeew, that was long. I tried to make the gap from chapter 1 to chapter 2 worth the wait, so I really hope this is good!
> 
> As of right now, I'm not sure what my update schedule will be, but I'm going to try and get at least two updates a week going. Maybe. No promises. :")
> 
> I actually went and saw the movie again and took little notes to try and get a better character study. In short, after seeing it a second time, not only do I genuinely love the film, but I realize I am pitifully in love with this ship.
> 
> One last thing; I'm also so flattered the support I've seen. Really, it's so heartening! Thank you all so much! 
> 
> Alrighty, that's all for now! Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Overhead, the sky was tinged pink and gold, puffs of apricot colored clouds crawling toward the dark, incoming night on the horizon. An autumnal breeze rustled tree branches and sent colorful leaves airborne. Late September had given way to early October, and spooky decorations were beginning to pop up around Municiberg, giving the city a mildly ominous appearance. The laughing faces of jack-o’-lanterns or glowing red eyes of skeletons stared out at Helen’s car as she made her way through the city streets. In her broody mindset, she probably would have thought they were judging her, had she paid them any more mind than mere glances whenever she was caught at a red light.

 

The buzz of the city lessened, spacing out the closer she drew to her own home. Driving up the winding pathway to the man-made waterfall outside, she waited for the cascade to slowly part, before pulling forward into the concealed garage. Motion sensors triggered the lights in the empty room, and after shutting the car off, she allowed her head to rest heavily against the steering wheel. 

 

To put it lightly, Helen felt disappointed. Gutted, even.

 

She had made the trip to the penitentiary in hopes of finding closure, and not did she get the exact opposite, Evelyn had said just enough to want her to go back, whether the woman knew it or not. The lights began to shut down one by one due to the lack of movement, the garage became as dark as it was quiet. A perfect environment to reflect on what she had learned during her visit. Such as the startling revelation that bothered her the entire drive home.

 

Evelyn had not wanted to be saved. The Deavor sister made no attempt to hide the fact that she would have greatly preferred death over being rescued. While the confession had been worded ambiguously, Helen was no idiot. She knew what the other had meant, and since she had found out, a cold ball of dread sat heavily in the pit of her stomach. She was certain that she had not done wrong by the other in saving her life. Yet, there she was, plagued with disturbing inquiries in which she would wonder,  _ But what if…  _

 

Inhaling slowly, she straightened up and reached behind her seat, arm stretching to wrap around the bag of groceries she had picked up on the journey home. If questioned, she would need some sort of cover, and Helen didn’t like the idea of lying completely about where she had gone that day. In fact she didn’t plan to lie at all; she would just omit certain details. Or was that still lying?

 

Dismissing the thought, as well as pushing her visit with Evelyn to the back of her mind, her arm retracted back into place and she held the bag close to her chest. It was with practiced ease that Helen was able to get out of the car and shift through the keys one-handed while walking toward the door that led into the actual house. Just as she put the key in the lock, the door swung open without her doing, and the wide grin that had been on the persons face suddenly fell. 

 

“Oh!” It was Dash, his eyes wide as he looked up at Helen. “Mom! You’re home!” He was practically yelling, and Helen’s Mom Senses immediately told her that something was amiss.

 

“Alright. What did you do?” She questioned, one arm akimbo as the bag perched itself gently on her hip. Dash strummed the door inhumanely fast with his fingertips nervously. Behind him, Helen could hear shuffling and hurried whispers. 

 

“Uh… nothing?”

 

“Are you asking me, or telling me?”

 

“Nothing!” The blond replied quickly. “I did nothing- how was your day mom? Did you get a haircut? It looks great.” Dash leaned against the door as if to block her path, however Helen merely stretched her legs in order to step over him.

 

“Alright, I’m going in.” Helen had taken only a few steps in when a blur sped past her, and she realized quickly what - or rather who - it had been. “Hey, get back here young man!” She called, jogging after him while she slowly shrunk herself back down to normal height. By the time she made it into the great room and could see the kitchen, Dash was nowhere in sight, and Bob was sitting at the island table with a strange smile on her face. Helen frowned. “What’s going on?”

 

“What? Nothing’s going on.” Bob dismissed quickly, getting up from the chair and going to meet her partway.

 

“Oh, really? Then why do you have that look on your face?”

 

“I’m just so happy to see you!” Sweeping her into a hug, careful to avoid crushing the bag she held in her arm, Bob leaned his head against Helen’s. “Hiii, honey. Welcome home.”

 

It was clear to Helen that they were hiding something. However, whatever it was, they were doing their best not to let her know. Perhaps it was for the best that she didn’t. Rather than pushing the matter, her free arm came up around Bob’s shoulders and her frown eased up, instead smiling as she gave into the warm embrace.

 

“Hellooo, Bob. I’m happy to see you, too.” The woman replied. Pecking his cheek briefly she pulled away from his grasp and set the bag on the counter and began to take things out. Rapid footsteps at her side alerted her that Dash had returned, her son quickly grabbing things from the counter and zipping around the kitchen to help put things away. Patting him once on the head as he dashed by, Helen chuckled and shook her head, turning her sights to her husband who had settled in a chair. “Where’s Violet?”

 

“In her room. She said she had to study for something- oh, and E said she wanted to keep Jack-Jack for one more night. Something about discovering another power.” Dash skidded to a halt just outside of the refrigerator, whirling on his heels.

 

“ _ What _ !? Another one!? That makes, like, what? Eighteen?!”

 

“Dash, lower your voice.” Helen chided. Though, on the inside, she was just as shocked as he was. As she went to rid of the bag, Bob chuckled heartily.

 

“Yeeep, that’s eighteen in counting!” There was nothing but pride in his voice - something that made Helen feel warm and cheery. While she skirted around Dash, who had finished up with putting things away and ran to the couch, Bob sighed somewhat. “I wish I knew you were going to the grocery store. I ordered Chinese right before you came home.”

 

“It’s fine, hun.” Helen replied casually, returning to the counter and reaching a hand out to rest it on his. “Takeout sounds perfect tonight.” Smiling at him, her fingers interlaced with his and she caressed the back of his palm with her thumb. “How was your day?” Bob’s hand tightened around her own.

 

“Oh, it was great!” He exclaimed, before catching sight of the amused look in Helen’s eye and clearing his throat. Bob shrugged his broad shoulders as he continued in a much more casual tone. “It was the same old, same old. There’s a bad guy, Mr. Incredible swoops in, he saves the day, aaand,”

 

“Aaand?” Helen prodded.

 

“I get to do it legally, all thanks to a certain heroine.” He grinned as a soft shade of red filled in Helen’s cheeks, and the woman just waved him off with her free hand bashfully. 

 

“Please,  _ please _ . I knew how bad you wanted to be able to practice heroism again. I would have been a monster to say no after seeing how badly you wanted to get out there!” Helen attempted to play it off.

 

“It wasn’t just for me!” Bob lifted her hand to his face and leaned gently against her palms. “It was for our children, too, remember? Now they have a choice about who they want to be. All of the Super kids out there have that choice, all thanks to you. And,” his tone became sly. “You set the standard so I could be better.”

 

“ _ Bob _ !” Her other hand came up to playfully swat his arm and he only laughed. Her faux scowl lightened into a genuine smile and she sighed. “Thank you, though. It really means a lot to hear you say that.” Rather suddenly, her visit with Evelyn came back to mind. She had forgotten it up until then, and not only did her stomach tighten, she suddenly recalled those split seconds where she had been second-guessing her heroic actions. Just as she tried to bottle the thoughts up once again, Bob popped a question she had not been looking forward too.

 

“So what were you up to today?”

 

Oh, dammit.

 

Praying that her expression hadn’t faltered, Helen mimicked his casual shrug from before. “Same old, same old.” She parroted teasingly. Hopefully that would suffice enough as an answer. Bob blinked in surprise and then grinned.

 

“Sounds like fun.” He jested.  _ Thank God _ . 

 

Just then, the doorbell rang overhead, and Dash’s head shot up from the couch with sheer delight on his face.

 

“Finally!” He exclaimed, pausing the movie he had been watching and jumping to his feet. As he ran to the door, Bob squeezed Helen’s hand once before he let go and started briskly after their son.

 

“Dash, wait- I still need to pay for it!”

 

Helen couldn’t help but chuckle to herself, shaking her head. Going to get plates from a cupboard, she tried to ignore the pang of guilt she felt. For some reason or another, her mind passed over the image of Evelyn, sitting in her cell, brooding and angry. Alive, when she would rather have been anything but. Furrowing her brow, the woman shook her head sharply and shut the door to the cupboard.

 

All thoughts pertaining to Evelyn were shoved away deep and she began to set the table. Just as Helen set the last plate down, Dash’s distressed cry sounded from the other room.

  
“What- all vegetables  _ again!? _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY.  
> To be honest, I am really nervous about this chapter. It underwent a LOT of construction, including the scrapping of two completed versions (one that was around 12 pages long-), and heavy revisions. If it seems kind of gross, I'M SORRY. I had way too many ideas about where to take this and it messed me up. Good news is the chapter that follows is a lot more solid and not as bland. But we gotta get some world building in, you know? :)
> 
> I apologize if this was not worth the wait, but I hope that it is somewhat enjoyable nonetheless.
> 
> Thank you for reading, as always!


	4. Chapter 4

_ Everything was happening so fast. _

 

_ Mingled scents of smoke, avgas, and saltwater formed a painfully acrid concoction that burned Helen’s senses. Wind, when coupled with not only the roar of the falling plane but that of the hydrofoil speeding toward New Urbem, was deafening. Her head was spinning, the ocean was coming up at a terrifying speed, and despite her ability to turn herself into a parachute, she refrained from taking form. She couldn’t do it yet; not when she was so close to grabbing the woman that was plummeting beneath her. _

 

_ Ams stretched out further than she had ever thought possible, they swiped at empty air time and time again. Evelyn was just out of reach and whenever she thought she had her, Helen would miss. Her umpteenth failure caused the woman to clench her teeth out of frustration. _

 

_ How long had they been falling? She wasn’t sure; all Helen knew was that time was starting to run out, and it would be an agonizing finish. She didn’t intend to save herself when there was someone else who was also at risk. Curse her own resolve. _

 

_ Flutter-kicking through the air, it provided just enough push to propel her a few inches downward. Her fingers grazed the back of the others shirt once, twice- _

 

_ “Gotcha!” Her cry of victory was lost to the wind as she at last managed to get ahold of the woman’s shirt, quickly reeling the other in. In doing so Helen’s torso expanded tendfold and thinned out, forming a parachute that slowed their fall into a gentle, feather-like drifting. The adrenaline of the fall was still coursing through her veins, but she was now calm enough to think rationally. She had to make sure Evelyn didn’t slip. And so, just she had begun to stretch her fingers to secure her hold on Evelyn, they had just barely grazed when the other suddenly thrashed in her grip. “It’s okay!” Helen called. “Relax, I’ve got you!" _

 

_ Evelyn stopped flailing, but only so that she could twist and turn enough to glare up at Helen. The Super expected fear, or maybe even relief, but instead she found herself staring into pale blue pools of raw, dark hatred. She was stunned, and Evelyn used that to her advantage. Swift kicks to Helen’s wrists made recoil and, to her horror, the other fell from her grasp. _

 

_ “NO!” _

 

_ Due to her paper-like weight Helen soared up without something to pull her down, and the distance between her and Evelyn became impossibly large. She threw her arms out, flailed, condensed her form — did everything she could to try and grab onto the woman once again. There was no chance of salvation, but damn it if Helen wouldn’t try to grab the other once again.  _

 

_ The ocean came up faster and faster; much more so than before. Evelyn smirked triumphantly at the retreating face of the savior, and all Helen could do was watch helplessly as she- _

 

_ CRASH. _

 

A strangled gasp clawed its way out of Helen’s throat as she shot upright in bed. Hair plastered to her face, the ragged breaths she took made her hyper aware of how her nightgown clung to her sweaty frame. She tugged at her collar with trembling hands, attempting to loosen it just enough so she the pressure was gone. Brown eyes darted frantically around for a few seconds until familiar features called her back into reality. 

 

Walls dotted with pictures surrounded her rather than an oceanic horizon and New Urbem. The smells that had been choking her moments ago had vanished into thin air and left room for the breakfast scents to settle in a much more pleasant change. No water, no falling, no chaos. She was a ways from being calm, but the time she was taking to assess her situation was definitely  helping her get there.

 

Raising her hands, Helen slowly raked her fingers through her hair and leaned back on the headboard. Her heart, which had been a roar in her ears a minute ago, had started to settle It was just enough for the torrential pitter-patter of rain on the windowsill to ease its way into her awareness, and she looked toward the window. She had assumed the room was dark because the curtains were drawn, however upon further investigation, black clouds stretched ominously overhead. She studied the sky for a few moments, flinching as a white-hot whip of lightning shattered the darkness and an explosive burst of thunder followed.

 

That explained what had woken her up so abruptly. Not that she was complaining.

 

She wasn’t sure how she would have felt if the dream had been able to go through its gorey entirety. Just thinking about it made her feel ill, and the bitter fact that it had been so close to reality was nauseating. It had been a few days since her visit with Evelyn and the words haunted her even then. As her mouth began to water, Helen swallowed hard and shook her head once. As she lowered her hands and slipped out of bed she tried to get firm with herself. No matter how close it had been to happening, it  _ hadn’t  _ happened, and that was what mattered.

 

At least, it should have been all that mattered. But now she was hyper aware of the fact that Evely was still out there, resentful and brooding over the fact she hadn’t been allowed to be swallowed by the oceans unforgiving depths. It scared Helen to think that animosity toward herself ran so deep for something that had been done with the best intention, only because that sort of darkness was… unstable, for lack of a better word. She wanted to perhaps tell someone, however no one she trusted enough to relay the information to knew she had gone, and Helen was more than hesitant to report Evelyn’s potential mindset to the warden. Who knew what he would do?

 

Her hands moved across the bed, pulling the sheets and comforter into place as she made it. Secrecy was a burden, but for now, it was for the best. She forced the negative thoughts back into the furthest depth of her mind for her to reflect on at another time.

 

Completing her task just as another flash of lightning illuminated the room, Helen grabbed her robe from where it had been draped over a bedpost and stepped into her slippers. She could hear a voice in the kitchen, and as she stood on the top step, she could see a robe-clad Bob at the sink, presumably washing something by the sound of it. In his height chair perched at the end of the island table, Jack-Jack was gnawing on his knuckles and turning the cheerios he was holding into an unpleasant mush.

 

“I mean I know you can’t talk,” Bob continued, setting the pan in the strainer. “But if you  _ can _ , we don’t tell your mother. Okay?” Jack-Jack nodded absently, before he suddenly turned his attention toward Helen, who had cleared the stairway with one, stretched-out step. Even if she hadn’t been quiet, she was sure the storm outside would have disguised her approach.

 

“Mumma!” The baby giggled, holding out a hand to her and grabbing at the air. Helen grinned wordlessly and silently progressed toward the high chair, Bob none the wiser as he chuckled and shut off the sink.

 

“Exactly. We aren’t telling- Helen!” 

 

Bob had turned on his heel and jumped when he saw his wife standing there, a suspicious look in her eyes and an amused grin on her face.

 

“You aren’t telling me what, Bob?” She questioned, lifting Jack-Jack out of the height chair and balancing him on her hip.

 

“What? Nothing! I mean- there’s nothing that I’m not telling you.” He attempted to play off. Helen looked at him with raised brows and an exasperated smile. They maintained eye contact for a few moments before Bob’s gaze averted. “Uh…  Well… Violet joined the drama club.” He admitted briskly. Helen blinked a few times in surprise and inclined her head.

 

“She is?” What a strange thing to be so secretive about. For a fleeting second Helen recalled when she had come home from the penitentiary, the strange way her family had been acting. A small part of her questioned if that was the truth, but she’d rather not push it. “Well why’d you try so hard to hide that? I wouldn’t be mad; good for her!”

 

“I know, I know. She just wasn’t ready to tell you yet.” The brute of a man before her breathed out. She swore she could detect relief in his voice. Bringing his gaze back Bob was quick to bounce the conversation along, kissing her briefly. “You slept in! Did you sleep well?”

 

The pandemonium that had plagued her dreams churned briefly through her mind at the question. Helen did her best not to grimace as she shrugged, not noticing that Jack-Jack mimicked her motion. “It was alright. I had a weird dream, but it happens.” She dismissed. “How about yourself? You woke up early.” Bob chuckled, looking vaguely embarrassed.

 

“I thought the thunderstorm was an explosion. Heroism is always on the mind, I guess. Since I was up, I made the kids breakfast before school- oh, for you, too! Waffles and eggs.” He looked proud of himself, and Helen couldn’t help but be proud of him, as well. While Bob had never been a poor father, her little crusade as Elastigirl had pushed him into doing more than he normally did. And, much to her delight, he hadn’t abandoned the habits he had picked up simply because he was able to be a Hero again. It was a nice break, and nothing but genuine adoration shone in Helen’s warm brown eyes.

 

“Thank you, Bob. Honestly, I really appreciate it.” She murmured, leaning in to hug him. Jack-Jack babbled in what sounded like agreement and hugged his father’s sleeve, spreading the handful of squishy cheerios he had been holding. Both of the adults laughed and as Bob swept the two closer to himself, responded with a content,

 

“You’re welcome.” He rubbed Helen’s back briefly, before he moved to take Jack-Jack from her grasp. “You should eat before the food gets cold, hun. I can keep an eye on Jack-Jack while you do.”

 

“What if your phone rings?” The direct lines had been almost constant since Supers had become legal again. Bob always jumped on the phones the second they rang, yet, all he did was wave it off.

 

“Eaaat, honey. There are enough Supers around here to hopefully take care of it while Mr. Incredible is away.” He jested. Helen laughed quietly and scanned the kitchen for the breakfast in question, Bob called to her, as if he knew what she was thinking. “It’s in the microwave!”

 

“Thank you!” Helen called back. After retrieving the plate she settled down at the island table and listened to the background noises. Rain, thunder, the sound of children’s television programs from the living room. All it was missing was squabbling between Dash and Violet, as it usually did when they were away at school. Chuckling fondly to herself she set into the breakfast that Bob had made, focusing on the ambiance of the home. She was only halfway through when the landline began to ring.

 

“I’ve got it!” Bob announced. Helen looked over her shoulder and watched him lift up the phone - a comically small device in his large hand. “Hello?.. Oh, Winston! Hey, what’s up?.. Good, glad to hear it!... Helen?” The large man glanced toward her, and she began to slide down from the chair she had sat in. “She’s a little busy with break-”

 

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Helen couldn’t deny the pang of guilt she felt when she realized she had forgotten her own intention to call Winston. She had never bothered to ask how he was doing with all of this Evelyn business, after all he had done for her and her family. Taking the phone from Bob she patted his arm gently. “Hey, Win!”

 

“ _ Hey, Helen _ !” While one would have thought Winston sounded as cheery as ever, she could pick up some sort of urgency in his tone. It worried her.

 

“Is everything alright?”

 

“ _ Ehh… Kinda-sorta. Listen, I know it’s really raining out there now, so I won’t ask you to drive. But if I sent someone to bring you over, are you available for a talk? There’s something important I need to talk to you about. _ ”

 

Something important?

 

A wave of vertigo washed over Helen, and not only did her mind jump to Evelyn, it jumped to the woman’s bitter confession, and the worse thing that could have happened. The only thing that kept her from jumping into asking about the woman was the fact Bob was within earshot. That, and the face Winston didn’t sound like he had been crying. 

 

“Yes, I can. Give me about an hour.”

 

“ _ Great, great. An hour it is. Oh, and, uh, try to come alone if you can, please. See you soon, Helen _ !” Without waiting for a response Winston hung up, and Helen slowly set the phone back down. Her heart had started to race with anticipation as to what could be so important, he was going to send someone to brave the storm for her?

 

“What was it?” Bob asked from the couch, arm around Jack-Jack who was gnawing on the television remote.

 

“I don’t know. Winston only said it was important. He’s sending someone for me.” She smiled apologetically. “He wants me to go alone.” Bob visibly deflated for a moment, though tried to hide his disappointment with a smile.

 

“Don’t look so sorry. I’m Super Dad now; I can handle Jack-Jack easily.” He responded. Helen hurried across the room to peck a kiss to his cheek, before moving quickly toward the stairs.

 

“I bought more cookies the other day, so it should be fine!” She informed, chuckling when he heard him laugh. Helen had said she would take a break after the whole events with Evelyn, however she would be lying if she said she wasn’t even a little excited to see what was so important. Holding onto the elation was the only way she could keep the dark thoughts of unease out of her mind. As she arrived at the top step, another flash of lightning sent bright white light through a window in the hall. She stopped cold, suddenly facing the pane.

 

That was… strange. She thought she had seen someone.

 

Brushing it off, she hurried along. She needed a shower before she got dressed, and she only had an hour!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay! So, after asking what sort of story this should be, I'm now a little more certain of what I want this story to become. :) Thank you for the input! I hope this chapter was good!


	5. Chapter 5

Raking her fingers through her damp hair over and over again, Helen was silently grumping to herself as she eyed her reflection in the limousine’s window. She wished she had told Winston two hours rather than one. She shouldn’t have expected him to send someone who would be even a moment late - he was a businessman, after all. It wouldn’t reflect on him well to have drivers that weren’t on time. Yet, she had hoped, and there she was, now attempting to tease her hair into a somewhat presentable fashion. 

 

The woman had barely been dressed when she got the call that her ride was outside, so as one could imagine, she was nowhere near a hairdryer. It was her own fault, really, so she couldn’t be dismayed at anyone other than herself. As a flash of lightning chased away her reflection, evoking a frustrated sigh on her behalf, the chauffeur chuckled from the driver's seat.

 

“If I may, Mrs. Parr, I believe that you look just fine.” He said, his pale gray eyes catching Helen’s widened brown ones in the rearview mirror when she glanced up. A wave of heat rolled over her cheeks and she glanced back toward the window, a quirked grin pulling at the corners of her mouth. She hadn’t realized she was being so obvious about it. With a meek huff of amusement, she nodded once, gratefully.

 

“Oh, thank you,” she responded, leaning back in her seat and patting her hands dry on her pantleg. “I kind of pushed my luck with the time I gave.” She shared a small laugh with the chauffeur, before they both fell into idle quiet. Silence wasn’t quite the word; no when rain drummed ever so loudly on the roof of the vehicle, its pattering just about concealing the soft crackle of the radio that had, at some point, when switched on. It was too low for Helen to make out any of the lyrics, though she couldn’t say she minded. She wouldn’t have been really listening to the song even if it had been louder, because all she could think about was the ominous call she had shared with Winston. Supers were legal again, meaning the need for secret phone calls regarding super deeds was now over. 

 

So what did he need?

 

Her brow furrowed as she weighed a few of the potential options. Her biggest suspicion was that it had to do with Evelyn, but the specifics were a whole new series of thoughts on their own. There was just so  _ much _ to unpack with the Deavor sister, and throwing her brother into mix really only complicated things. It could have had to do with, maybe, a mission? Or other supers they had met over the course of her work as Elastigirl? Good God she hoped it wasn’t all of the above and then some.

 

_ That’d be the end of me. _ Helen thought jokingly to herself. 

 

Outside, the blurring scenery rolled to a halt as they came to a red light, the rain falling straight down rather than at the angle that the illusion of travel gave. The Supers’ gaze had been trained absently on the dreary world around them, not picking up any specific details other than vague shapes, and she instinctively leaned back from the window as the sky flashed white. It was because she hadn’t paying close attention outside that Helen didn’t realize it at first.

 

However, only a split second before the effect of the lightning faded from the sky, she realized that someone in the neighboring car had been staring right at her. The limousine’s windows were tinted, but they had been making unmistakable eye-contact for those brief moments the world had been illuminated. By the time Helen realized, the sky fell dark, as did the outside, and she was left with a sudden sense of foreboding. Her stomach fluttered uneasily and she felt her skin crawl beneath the dark gray turtleneck she had opted to wear. She was recalling earlier that morning, when thought she had seen someone in the hallway of her home.

 

She wanted to peg that as a mere coincidence, but it was just too unlikely. Pressing a palm against the flat of her chest, over her heart, Helen turned her attention away toward the front. In the rearview, she could see the chauffeurs eyes were trained on her. His brow pinched together in a dark gray-brown line of uncertainty, he pressed on the gas pedal when the light turned green.

 

“Is everything alright, Mrs. Parr?”

 

“I’m…” She shook her head slightly. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Helen had debated telling him what had happened, but it seemed hardly worth it. Maybe she was just paranoid. Waking up from such a bad dream could do that, she figured.

 

“Are you sure?” The chauffeur paused, and when he spoke next, she could hear the smile in his voice. “Of all people, I wouldn’t have thought that Elastigirl was afraid of thunderstorms.”

 

“Elastigirl? Afraid of a thunderstorm?” Helen asked laughingly. “There are scarier things than that!” Whether he was joking because he was aware she was unnerved or simply just for the sake of, she appreciated it nonetheless. Their playful banter shot back and forth for the remainder of the ride, and for the short time being, the phantom person she had seen twice was just about forgotten.

 

* * *

 

The ride was surprisingly long. Plagued with red light after red light, it had taken them a little over an hour for the limousine to reach their destination. Helen scooted toward the door, watching it swing open as the chauffeur held an umbrella at an angle to protect her from the rain when she got out. Samson, she had come to learn his name was.

 

“Thank you, Sam.” She said as she got out, using her hip to nudge the door shut. Looking at the building before them, Helen realized that they were not at the DevTech building she had expected. Instead, they were at a house - a mansion, when being proper with it. Still. “Woah, where are we?”

 

“Master Deavor has numerous estates,” Samson explained, walking in-step with Helen carefully to ensure she remained dry. “This is happens to be one of them.”

 

“Oh, right. I can remember him saying that.” Helen mused, nodding slowly. Now that they were actually here, she could feel the flickers of anticipation from before. She was dying to know what Winston had to tell her, but at least now the wait was over with. It took everything in her not to take exaggeratedly long steps toward the door, or to stretch her arm out and knock on the door. Only a handful of people knew of her alter ego, and she did not want to run the risk of someone who did not seeing her.

 

Just as they reached the top of the steps the door swung open and there stood Winston. His graying hair was slightly unkempt, and his gaze held only a fraction of the fire they once had a month ago. Even the smile he wore didn’t quite reach his eyes, yet the warmth to which he regarded her was unwavering.

 

“Helen!” He exclaimed and stepped out of the way. “Come in, please!”

 

“Hello to you, too, Win,” Helen chuckled as she stepped inside, waving goodbye to Samson as he was dismissed. When he wandered off she turned on her heel to better study her surroundings. The interior of the house was breathtaking - but she didn’t have time to linger on it. A hand on her shoulder was already gently guiding her through the entry hall toward a deeper part of the mansion. “This place is gorgeous, Winston!”

 

“You think so?” He grinned. “Do you like it even more than your place?”

 

“ _ Your _ place,” she corrected him. “I’ve already told you I can’t just accept a hose from you like that.”

 

“Heleeenn, come on.” Winston clapped her lightly on the shoulder before his hand dropped. “After everything you’ve done for me - for the  _ world _ ? The house is honestly nothing compared to all of that!” Helen opened her mouth to say something, however she stopped short and only sighed inwardly.

 

Winston would always be adamant about this; there was no point in attempting to convince him otherwise. So she only smiled warmly, before patting his arm just as he had done to her shoulder.

 

“Well, thank you. I’ll always appreciate what  _ you’ve _ done for  _ me _ .” Helen allowed her words to settle in, before she pulled her arm back. “I hate to potentially kill the mood, but, I have to know…”

 

“Oh, right. Why I called you over.” Something about Winston’s tone seemed forced, as if he was only pretending that it had momentarily slipped his mind. He said nothing for a few long moments as he walked Helen into a large dining room, toward a long, shining dining table. “I think you should sit down for thi- ah, I almost forgot. Do you want anything?”

 

“No, no, I’m alright. Thank you, Win.” Helen declined, instead going right for the table. She had never considered herself to be an anxious person, but anxiety had started to gnaw at her stomach. He was suddenly so serious - grim, almost. It was nothing short of scary when she knew the kind of person he usually was. As he took a seat at the head of the table she settled into an adjacent chair, gripping the arms tightly. Winston clasped his hands and leaned his interlocked fingers against his mouth. One thousand and one thoughts danced visibly through his eyes and she allowed him the silence to gather what he had wanted to say. 

 

“I don’t want to beat around the bush,” he began, his voice vaguely muffled by his hands, “but I don’t want to just throw this at you, either.”

 

“I can handle it.” Helen assured him. Her words were brisker than she had intended, but Winston hadn’t seemed to notice. He nodded slowly in thought, before he sighed, looking down at the mahogany beneath them.

 

“Well, alright… The other day - four days ago, there was a hearing for Evelyn. A parole hearing, I mean.” Helen was struck with surprise. The other hadn’t brought it up during their visit. Then again, why would Evelyn tell her, of all people, something like that? “I don’t know who she had for attorneys - none of the DevTech lawyers were there. But, whoever they were must have really cozied up to the judge because Evelyn was granted release with parole.”

 

“What!?” Helen exclaimed, lurching forward in her seat. “They let her go after only a  _ month _ !?”

 

“I know, I know. I had the same reaction.” Winston’s voice tightened briefly, and as he slumped in his chair he rested his hands flat on the table. “She didn’t tell me how long she would be on patrol when we talked on the phone, because she planned on telling me when we met in person…” Win trailed off in a way that seemed to bate reaction, however, Helen was at a loss for words. So many thoughts were rushing through her mind, so many things she wanted to say at once. Breathing in deep, she forced her fingers to ease up from their white-knuckle grim on the chairs arms as something came to the front of her mind.

 

“And… I’m going to guess she’s coming over today?” Helen managed to ask through grit teeth, unable to help but feel used. Was she there just to play mediator? She didn’t mind helping him, but the setup had been less than favorable. However, to her relief, Winston shook his head while he straightened up in his chair.

 

“No. Well, actually, I don’t know. Because that’s the thing; she was supposed to be here when she was released three days ago, but she never showed up.” Winston sighed and pinched his temple, his gaze having yet to return to Helen. “I sent someone to pick her up from the penitentiary and she was already gone. It isn’t like she has nowhere to go - we have houses all over the place! It’s just-”

 

“She could be anywhere.” Helen finished his sentence. 

 

“Yes, exactly! And that’s just adding even more onto problem.” Winston pushed back in his chair noisily, beginning to pace. “I love my sister - really, I do. But not knowing where she is… I won’t lie, it’s a little scary.”

 

Helen agreed. She had her own safety to worry about. Though that came last when thinking about the wellbeing of her family, especially her kids, or the citizens of the town she swore to protect alongside other Supers.

 

“I don’t think she’d do anything to get herself arrested.” She murmured. “But she’s smart. If she really wanted to plan something out of revenge, she could probably get away with it.” If she had somehow managed to wriggle her way out of what had been a years-long sentence in just a month, Evelyn could probably easily dodge trouble if she managed to slip up. Rubbing her temples, she groaned inwardly. “I’d love to meet the judge responsible for that hearing.”

 

“So do I.” The coldness in Winston’s voice was mildly startling. “Evelyn is stubborn. I know her better than anyone. Maybe in a few months, or even years, parole would make sense. She’d have learned her lesson that way. But this?” He waved his hands. “This was nothing. I had more faith in our justice system. I guess is why I trust Supers above all else.” The man stopped pacing, and when he looked at Helen this time, his smile was a little more sincere. Enough to break the dark cloud that had formed in her mind so that she could smile back.

 

Their shared moment was broken by authoritative pounding on the door.

 

“Winston Deavor?” A man called. “M.B.P.D., please open the door!”

 

“What the Hell…” Winston murmured under his breath. Helen rose from her seat and together they half-jogged toward the front door. After taking a moment to smooth back his hair, he opened the door, his friendliness appearing for a split second only to disappear again. “Evelyn!”

 

Helen made her way into the doorway as well and, sure enough, there stood Evelyn, with a look of moody indifference on her face and cuffs around her wrists. Her glare let up just a bit when she saw the other woman beside her brother, a smirk flashing in her eyes before she looked away. The man accompanying her, donned in the unmistakable gray and blue of the Municiberg police force, held tight to her arm with one hand and held an umbrella in the other. He didn’t seem too happy at all.

 

“Sorry to disturb you, but we need to talk.”

 

“Right, right. Come in.” Winston sounded as if he were dazed, and Helen couldn’t blame him. Five minutes ago they were discussing Evelyn being unfindable, and then she suddenly is brought right to them in cuffs. She would have jokingly asked if Winston’s faith in the justice system had been restored if the mood had been lighter. 

 

When they moved aside, the officer marched inside with Evelyn and handed his umbrella off to Helen wordlessly. A vaguely annoying gesture, but she simply shut the umbrella as she assumed he wanted her to and leaned it against the wall. Winston shut the door, and then clapped his hands gently together. “Well, officer, do you want anything to drink? I have-”

 

“Nah. Thanks, but I just want to get this over with. Rain’s supposed to get worse and I wanna beat it.” The man said gruffly. Eyeing Helen, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion, and she narrowed her eyes back at him. His lip curled in a subtle display of malcontent as he looked at Winston. “This isn’t really something that concerns civilians.”

 

“She isn’t a civilian, she’s-” He stopped short, and Helen’s heart skipped a beat. “Uh, a really good friend of mine. You can talk in front of her.” He assured. A surge of gratitude and smug delight surged through Helen as the officer scowled briefly. 

 

“Fine. Anway, I am Officer Smith. You can call me Eric.” He introduced himself with a firm nod. “Your sister is already tap dancing on thin ice with her parole-”

 

“Hardly.” Evelyn scoffed under her breath, earning looks from all three. She met them with a look that could not have conveyed her stubborn carelessness more.  “You gave unclear directions about where I should be. So, I picked for myself. It isn’t like I was evading or finding loopholes. I was doing exactly what I was told.” Officer Smith’s jaw clenched audibly for a few moments and he released her arm to press his palms together.

 

“Yes, as we’ve learned. It was  _ our _ mistake.” The words sounded as if they were painful to say. “Which is why I’m here. The court feels it would be best if she were living under supervision, instead of being who knows where, alone. We were under the assumption she’d be going right with you, but apparently, we were wrong.” His tone was accusatory, but all Evelyn did was shrug and scuff the ground with the toe of her shoe. “We would like you to watch over Evelyn while her parole, to make sure that she is meeting with her parole officer and abiding by the law.”

 

“Hold on a second. You want _me_ to watch her?” Winston inquired with a frown. “I have a company to run.  _ Alone _ ,” it seemed he was getting in on the shady remarks as well, Helen noted. “I would if I could, but I just don’t have the time to do that.”

 

“Well, Mister Deavor, if no one can monitor her activity then she’s going to go back to the penitentiary.”

 

“Why do you need someone to do it; isn’t that the whole point of parole officers?”

 

“It’d make things easier for everyone.” Officer Smith’s tone had hardened a bit. “Worst case scenario we entertain the idea of house arrest, but then she’d still need someone to look over her.”

 

“House arrest? I’d rather go back to the prison!” Evelyn shot.

 

The civilized conversation dissolved quickly into bickering, and Helen watched, keeping to her silence for a little while longer. She was more so thinking very deeply to herself than just watching them and doing nothing. Technically, she had claimed retirement following the salvation of the hydrofoil. But all the same, it had never been officially written or stated anywhere. Certainly not by her. Gnawing on her lower lip, Helen shut her eyes tightly and breathed in deep.

 

“I can do it!” She said loudly, cutting through the argument. Officer Smith and the Deavor siblings all looked her way and she looked up meekly. “I would be able to do it. I mean, I don’t have to be with her all the time; just enough to make sure she’s doing what she’s supposed to be doing, right?” Uncertainty crossed the officers face, and she added. “If I can’t do it, I know a Super who would probably be willing to lend her time.”

 

“You? Knowing a Super?” Officer Smith sneered. He was none the wiser to the amusement Winston was suddenly attempting to suppress, or the eye-roll from Evelyn’s behalf. “What Supers do you know?”

 

“Elastigirl.” Helen stated proudly. “I know her better than most can say.” She met the officer’s gaze, catching the disbelief and irritation in his eyes. He probably thought she was messing around, but he was the only person in the room who didn’t know any better.

 

“You.”

 

“I.”

 

“Know Elastigirl. Personally.”

 

“That’s what I said.”

 

The stared each other down for a solid minute, until Officer Smith exhaled heavily.

 

“You know what? Fine. I’ll entrust Evelyn to your watch. But only because I want her to slip up, and you’re probably more than likely to let that happen.” He practically hissed, yanking keys off of the belt he wore. Grabbing Evelyn’s cuffs, he grumbled, “One mistake from you and you won’t see the light of day for the rest of your life.”

 

“Good thing I don’t care for sunlight.” Evelyn countered, pulling her arms back once her wrists were free and rubbing the chafed skin. Officer Smith put the cuffs away and started for the door, taking his umbrella from its perch against the wall. 

 

“Someone will be here tomorrow to meet with you, just to make sure you’re serious about this thing. Oh, right- or maybe they’ll meet with Elastigirl.” Officer Smith snickered, shaking his head and opening his umbrella as he stepped over the threshold. “Have a good day.” He called without looking over his shoulder, trudging to his car. No one called back to him, and Winston merely went to shut the door. When he turned, his forehead was creased in frustration, one hand on his hip. Helen folded her arms and turned in the same direction he was facing - which landed Evelyn in the line of their sight. The woman arched her brows.

 

“What?” She crossed her arms as well. “You heard him say it. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

“You didn’t do anything right, either. You knew I was sending someone to get you.” Winston shut her down. “You somehow manage to win your freedom and you’re already getting yourself in trouble, Ev!”

 

“Not in trouble yet.” She said and winked, rounding on her heels and making her way deeper into the house. “Anyway, I need a drink, so I’ll be in the kitchen.” As she disappeared around a corner, Winston sighed heavily and shook his head.

 

“I knew it - I  _ knew _ it. She didn’t learn a thing.” He said, anger and sorrow mingling in his tone. It pulled at Helen’s heart strings and as she gently put a and to his arm, he looked at her. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

 

“I know. But at least now I can keep an eye on her, and I can keep my family out of harm’s way.” Helen stated. Though, it ran deeper than that. In the moment she hadn’t realized it, but it was starting to dawn on her that she was feeling… relieved? During her talk with Winston before, she had an indifferent opinion about Evelyn being in the penitentiary, veering on feeling she should have been there longer. But seeing her in person, and hearing the officer say she would go back after a few days of freedom… Helen actually didn’t want that to happen. It even unearthed the conversation she had shared with the sister a week ago, and the grim undertones their talk contained. She could now keep an eye on… that aspect of Evelyn as well. “Really, Win. I don’t mind doing this.”

 

“Well… Thank you, Helen.” He said and smiled. “I appreciate it.” Straightening up from his slight, defeated slouch, he rubbed his hands together. “I guess I should talk with Ev for a bit about things. Do you want to join us?” He asked, to which she shook her head.

 

“Actually, I should be heading home. If the rain really is supposed to get worse, I don’t want to put your drivers at risk.” And, honestly, Helen wasn’t quite ready to be face to face with Evelyn, uncaged or unbound, just yet. The woman was a human that she could easily overpower, it was more of the mental aspect of it. She needed more preparation for tomorrow. Which reminded her. “Officer Smith never said what time I should be here.”

 

“Ah, ah. You or Elastigirl.” Winston’s grin widened and Helen laughed. “Maybe same time tomorrow?”

 

“That sounds good to me. Just make sure to call first.” Helen jested, noting to herself that she would get up earlier tomorrow morning. Winston nodded in confirmation and then took a few steps forward.

 

“Samson!” He called out. “Mrs. Parr would like to head home!”

 

The friendly chauffeur came bounding in almost immediately, to the point Helen wondered where he had been for him to jog around the corner as soon as Winston had finished speaking. With a breathless grin he tapped the brim of his hat.

 

“At your service.” He puffed, moving to the umbrella they had used earlier. “Right this way, Mrs. Parr.”

 

Sharing words of departure with Winston, Helen followed the chauffeur out the door, her mind already beginning to race with the events of the day. As she glanced over her shoulder to wave farewell one more time, she faltered just a bit when she saw Evelyn standing only a few feet behind her brother. Her expression was unreadable, but rather than the rude gesture Helen had expected, she merely waved once, and then the door shut, closing the siblings off from her view.

 

The brunette slid into the cabin and leaned her face into her hands, drawing in a deep breath.

 

Oh, what did she just get herself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand here we go, Chapter 5!
> 
> I think I want to try to aim for Sunday's and Wednesday's as when I update, but once again, no promises. Thank you all so much for being patient with me as I attempt to work out a schedule. ;w; I would also like to thank you all for the overwhelming support. It really is great encouragement.
> 
> From here on out, we're going to finally start focusing on the main reason you all are here. Hope you're ready; I have a lot of stuff planned for these two!! :)
> 
> As always, I hope you have a lovely day. Thanks for reading!


	6. Apologies!

This is not a story chapter, just kind of an update to explain my absence.

I was helping in a move and I pretty much fractured my wrist in the processes. :") I'm clumsy. I hope to have the next chapter out soon- just please bear with me and my injury. I apologize for the lack of activity!


	7. Chapter 7

The rain had stopped very late last night, only after a torrential downpour as forecasted by Officer Smith. 

 

It left everything cool and mildly damp for the following morning, adding a pleasant crispness to the lingering scent of petrichor and autumn. As the sun rose over a new, brighter day, its serenity was broken by the rumbling engine of a motorcycle. Loud and rolling like the thunder from the night before, it stopped only when the rider parked at the end of a walkway, using her foot to prop the kickstand into place. The mansion belonged to Winston, and was the one visited just the day prior.

 

With a sigh, Helen slipped off of the vehicle and raked her rubber-clad fingers through her hair.  _ Well _ , she thought, turning on her heel and starting up the smooth path toward the door.  _ Here we go. _

 

It had taken a few hours of mulling, and in the end, the brunette had decided that going dressed in her Super suit would be best. Leaving Helen Parr out of this business would keep the line between her life as a civilian and her life as a heroine definitive. Besides, not only did she truly feel that her being in outfit would be best for this situation, she also silently hoped that Officer Smith would catch wind that Elastigirl had shown up after all. It was pettiness in its rawest form, though after the way he had turned up his nose at her yesterday, she felt she had earned the right to be a little haughty.

 

Helen chuckled to herself as she stretched out an arm, closing the distance between herself and the door so that she could knock.  _ I sound like Bob _ , she mused. A few steps later, she stood on the lightly sodden welcome mat, the beige rectangle emitting an uncomfortable ‘squish’ sound as she stepped on it. She had to suppress a shudder as she focused her gaze on the door, waiting for it to open.

 

Which it did not.

 

It didn’t bother the Super too much, as she simply figured the other hadn’t heard her. Augmenting the size of her fist to be larger, Helen knocked a little more firmly on the door before allowing her arm to fall to her side. She waited in vain, as her second summon went unanswered. A frown creased her brow.

 

“Evelyn?” She called, waiting for a few moments. When silence greeted her, she continued to say, “I know you’re in there; you have to be Your probation officer will be here soon.” The brunette knocked once again, and thrice did she receive a lack of acknowledgement. 

 

It was around then that her patience flickered. It wasn’t gone, but was significantly less than it had been upon her initial arrival. 

 

She got it. Evelyn didn’t like her. She was probably not happy one bit that it was her, of all people, that would be overseeing her activity during this probation period. But all the same- she could be even a  _ sliver _ more respectful and at least acknowledge her. Hell, Helen would have even taken a ‘go away’ as opposed to the silent treatment.

 

_ How childish.  _

 

Taking a few steps back from the soggy doormat the woman searched the front of the mansion for an entrance of some other sort. Luckily there was an open window way up, and she wasted no time outstretching her arms to grab onto the windowsill. Stretching back, she proceeded to catapult herself upward, through the open window - and unintentionally hurled herself right into something the room. She had just barely managed to catch her footing when a voice cut through her mild stupor. Cold and angry, it snapped,

 

“What the  _ fuck _ do you think you’re doing?”

 

Blinking the daze out of her gaze she realized that she was looking at Evelyn, the short haired woman glaring back at her as she held a towel - her only apparent garment - up in a tightly clenched fist. Her other hand rubbed her shoulder, where Helen had presumably collided, and she narrowed her ice colored eyes with increasing irritation. Without even meaning to, Helen realized she was taking in little features about the Deavor sister. Such as the way her usually spiky hair looked much more tame when wet, or the water droplets spotting her skin.

 

“He-llo?” Evelyn sniped. “Are you just going to gawk at me?”

 

“I - I’m not gawking!” Helen replied defensively, forcing herself to stare the other in the face. Riding the momentum of the moment she folded her arms. “I knocked  _ three  _ times and called your name, and you didn’t answer.”

 

“Did your detective skills suddenly disappear, Elastigirl?” The other woman taunted. “Or does that mask make you blind? Because, I don’t know about you, but I think it’d be pretty obvious that I just got out of the damn shower.” 

 

“You…” Helen was trumped, and she averted her gaze in silent defeat. “Uh, right. Sorry.”

 

“I  _ was _ coming to the window to tell you that, but you decided to let yourself in.” Evelen walked a step by Helen, before nudging her with a shoulder as she passed her by. “Whatever. See yourself out; I need to get dressed, and I don’t feel like having you ogle over me.”

 

“I wasn’t ogling!” The Super countered. A rush of heat came to her face, deepening when she caught the sound of Evelyn’s taunting snicker. She didn’t want to give her the chance to continue teasing, and so with stretched steps, Helen made her way out of the room and into the hall, shutting the door behind her. She realized, in that moment, that she had no idea of the mansions layout.

 

“I don’t hear you walking awa-”

 

“I’m going!” She called without looking over her shoulder, deciding to ‘wing it’, as Dash would say. Helen glanced up and down the hall before deciding to head eastward. Her pace was fast right off of the bat, wanting to put as much distance between her and, what she presumed to be Evelyn’s bedroom, as possible. She turned random corners whenever she could and wandered through doorways, making sure she didn’t somehow end up back in the others room.

 

This was a mistake, Helen soon came to realize, as she found herself utterly lost in labyrinth of a house.

 

The mansion was so large it was almost- no, it  _ was _ \- pretty overwhelming. Coming to a halt Helen thought it would be best to get a better hold of her barings. Her gaze scanned the hallway carefully, and slowly did Helen begin to note that the walls were pretty empty, save for one picture frame a few feet away. Looking around the hall once more, deciding that finding her way could wait, she approached the framed photo

 

Four people smiled out at her. Two children that looked vaguely familiar, and two adults that rested affectionate hands on their shoulders. At first glance, she would have presumed the adult to be Winston, but closer inspection brought her to the conclusion that the older man was his father. Which mean the young boy with a gappy-toothed smile had to be Win, and the slightly taller, lidded eye girl was Evelyn. Her hair was a little longer, resembling a bob cut more than it did the spiky pixie cut it was today.

 

A pang of strange sadness rolled through Helen. The picture captured a moment of genuine happiness, and it exuded the warmth of the moment perfectly, even if it was in black and white. Just as she reached up to touch her fingertips to the frame, a voice from behind made her start ever so slightly.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Turning around, she came face to face with Evelyn, whose expression was one of mild interest. It seemed she had opted to put on a dark gray shirt and plan black pants. Helen hadn’t realized it until then, but the spiky-haired brunette was tall. Taller than her, even. As she inclined her head to properly meet her gaze she then looked over her shoulder.

 

“Being nosy?”

 

“I could see that much. I guess I should have asked, ‘what are you looking at?’.” The Deavor followed Helen’s gaze to the photo on the wall, and for a fraction of a second, something flashed through her expression. It looked almost like sorrow, but the look had been too brief for the Super to really identify. Blue eyes met hers once again and Evelyn sniffed pointedly, not acknowledging the photo or Helen’s interest in it.

 

“If you’re done snooping around the place, I want to go wait for the probation officer down in the lobby. I don’t need more people jumping through my windows because I didn’t answer right away.”

 

“I wasn’t ‘snooping around’.” Helen answered sharply. “You implied you wanted to be alone, so I left, and I happened to end up here. And I only jumped through your window because I thought you were ignoring me on purpose.” The irritation that had bubbled up in the woman prompted the snippy addition of, “I wouldn’t put it past you.”

 

“Ahuh… By ‘happening to end up’ here, that means you got lost, I’m going to assume?” The Deavor sister smirked at the heroines expense, before her features hardened. “Yeah, like an officer who probably thinks I deserve to be behind bars wouldn’t think the same.” Evelyn snorted, her smirk gone. “Come on,  _ Elastigirl _ . This way.” With a taunting emphasis on the heroic title, she took lead and didn’t quite wait to see if she was being followed, as if completely confident in the fact that the Super just  _ would _ . A level of bold that Helen was no longer surprised by.

 

Evelyn, so far, had been as snide as their previous encounters, and Helen was genuinely beginning to think she wouldn’t see a shift in the other woman’s behavior. Starting briskly after, she soon walked at her side.

 

“You can call me Mrs. Incredible, by the way.” Helen said rather suddenly. She glanced out of the corner of her eyes toward Evelyn, who furrowed her brow in a silent inquiry. “I’m just saying. My official alias is Mrs. Incredible.”

 

“Oh- pfft.” Evelyn scoffed and waved her hand. “ _ Please _ . Only a handful of people have ever actually called you that. And after you recently ran around being Elastigirl again for a little while, I wouldn’t expect anyone to refer to you as the mouth-sore that is ‘Mrs. Incredible’.”

 

“Excuse me?” Helen frowned promptly. “What’s wrong with my name?”

 

“Do you  _ really _ want me to go there?” The spiky-haired woman asked. She continued to walk as Helen slowed to a stop, and after a few heartbeats of silence, the heroine nodded.

 

“Yes. I really would.” She stated firmly. Evelyn stopped mid-step and turned around. Surprise was clear on her features for a few seconds before her expression smoothed back down into normal. 

 

“Well… You asked for it, I guess.” She muttered, and then shook her head. “Where to begin? I mean, aside from the fact it’s a mouthful and nowhere near as catchy as Elastigirl. Or the fact that being ‘Mrs. Incredible’ just puts you in Mr. Incredibles shadow. I mean, hooray, I guess, for your new name.” 

 

Evelyn emulated falling confetti by wiggling her fingers.

 

“You got hitched, abandoned your ‘it’s a man’s world’ mentality, and fell right into the stereotype you were trying to fight. Which is male Supers are number one, and female supers are are second rate.” She had been talking without breaks, and as she attempted to hide the fact she was mildly winded, Evelyn folded her arms and let out a huff. “Need I go on?”

 

“Uh...” Was all Helen could muster just then.

 

Admittedly, her mind was reeling. She had expected something antagonistic and baseless, maybe even a confession that the other had been poking fun at her alias just to do so. 

 

Instead, she was given a legitimate response. Judging by the fire that glittered in Evelyn’s eyes, she held back more than she had said. Helen blinked a few times, averting her gaze for a moment before it came back with a spark of her own.

 

“Sure. You’re right. Maybe Mrs. Incredible  _ is _ a little lengthy, and it doesn’t catch on like Elastigirl does. Yes, I got married, and decided to shed my name to match that of my husbands. But understand, Evelyn, I did just  _ that _ . I matched him. I didn’t fall below him.” Helen was sharp and indignant as she stalked forward toward the other woman. “Just because I decided to change my name doesn’t mean I stopped being the Super I once was. He knows that. I know that. And you know that. So I would appreciate it if you, of all people, kept snarky remarks about my lifestyle to yourself.”

 

By that point, they were face to face, Helen glaring up into ice colored eyes that glared back down at her. She could see that intense inferno dancing in Evelyn’s eyes, tinged with an emotion she couldn’t quite make out. 

 

After a few long moments of silence, the taller woman scoffed, turning sharply on her heel and walking quickly ahead.

 

“Whatever. Don’t forget I asked you if you wanted me to go there.” She rumbled. Helen felt a sudden pang of guilt at the reminder. Evelyn was right, she had asked her, and she had prompted her to speak. 

 

But all the same, she wasn’t quite sorry. Some of the remarks the other had made were low blows, and not ones that she would tolerate when in regard to herself or her husband. Shaking her head to dismiss the topic, she once again followed after, this time opting to stay behind Evelyn, the remainder of their walk silent.

 

By the time they had reached the main lobby, an authoritative knock on the door signified the arrival of the probation officer. 

 

“Feel free to answer.” Evelyn said with faux, venomous courtesy. While Helen crossed to the door, she swore she heard the other mutter, ‘Elastigirl’ under her breath.

 

* * *

 

The front door shut with an echoing boom, and with a groan, Evelyn turned around and faced the smug heroine a few feet away. Helen, with her arms folded over her chest, inclined her head just a bit.

 

“What? I thought the meeting went pretty well.” The crimson-clad woman snickered. Evelyn scowled at her.

 

“The first half an hour was a breeze. The three hours after that? I don’t know; I could have gone without hearing them giggle and ogle over you. It got boring after hour one.” She scoffed. Helen chuckled quietly at the testy remark.

 

Two probation officers had arrived for what should have been a brief meeting. However, the pair of them had been so giddy to actually be meeting such a famous heroine that the meeting slowly turned into more of an interview. Helen normally would have dismissed it sooner, but she had allowed the conversation to last as long as it did merely to get back at Evelyn for riling her nerves earlier.

 

“Come on, they weren’t that bad.” The super attempted to console, to no avail. Evelyn stomped off toward the kitchen and cast a glare over her shoulder.

 

“The  _ only _ good thing to come out of that whole experience was how many times they called you Elastigirl, because it proved I was right about Mrs. Incredible being an awful name.” Their expressions flipped, and Helen inhaled sharply, biting her tongue as she walked through the lobby, taking a turn toward the kitchen that Evelyn had disappeared into.

 

Already, the woman was opening the wine cabinet, surveying the bottles inside with interest.

 

“Wine at this hour?” Helen inquired while taking a seat at the table, to which the other replied,

 

“It’s five o'clock somewhere. Besides,” she pulled out an elegant, blue-tinted bottle. “After those two, I need it.” Evelyn set the bottle down on the counter and crossed the massive kitchen toward a cupboard. “Do you want a glass?”

 

Taken aback by the offer, Helen stunted, which appeared to give Evelyn the impression of apprehension. 

 

“It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

 

“Oh- I didn’t think- ah, sure. A glass would be great. Thank you.” Helen inwardly cringed at her fumble. Watching Evelyn take down the glasses, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why the offer?”

 

“I figure if we’re both drinking, then you can’t be critical about how early it is.” The Deavor sister’s response came without missing a beat and, for some reason, Helen found herself smiling just a bit.

 

“Fair enough.” She agreed. With a drink in either hand, Evelyn joined her at the table and reached toward Helen, allowing her to take the glass. In a strangely content silence, the two took sips of their wine, until Evelyn looked the hero’s way and knit her brow together.

 

“Are you gonna keep that mask on?”

 

“Why? What’s wrong with it?” 

 

“It doesn’t get tiring wearing it? I mean, it’s just stuck to your face.” The brunette reached up and touched her own face, where the mask would have been perched should she have been wearing it, and emulated taking it off. “Tweedledum and Tweedledee aren’t here to see the grand reveal of whatever might be underneath.”

 

Helen was a bit uncertain at first, but quickly gave in, reaching up to take the mask off. It was like wearing glasses, almost- after a while, the wearer became hyperconscious of their existence and needed to take them off. Setting it down, she rubbed the ridge of her nose gently, looking at Evelyn when she let out a loud gasp of surprise.

 

“No way! Helen,  _ you _ were under that mask the whole time?” She exclaimed with forced surprise. “I can’t believe it!”

 

“You know, you’re probably one of the most sarcastic people I’ve ever met.”

 

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

 

Evelyn was grinning, and Helen eyed her suspiciously. It was a huge mood change from earlier, or even a few minutes ago. 

 

“What’s gotten into you?” She prompted. Evelyn shrugged before she lifted her glass.

 

“Ahh, wine. Call it a crutch, call me an alcoholic, but I find it pre-tty soothing.” Concluding her statement with a long, draining sip, she proceeded to set the now-empty glass on the table. Blue eyes turning toward Helen, the vague smile on her face darkened into a slight scowl as she demanded, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“What-” Helen blinked, shaking her head. “What do you mean?”

 

“You were frowning at me.” An edge sharpened Evelyn’s response.

 

“I hadn’t even been aware.” Helen said smoothly, turning her attention away. Silently, she hoped that the other wouldn’t dig, and thankfully, all she heard after a few moments of quiet was simply,

 

“Hm.”

 

Evelyn’s chair scraped against the ground and Helen looked toward her again, watching her go for the wine bottle left on the counter. This time, she felt the frown before it came, and she stared down at the polished table beneath her.

 

“Evelyn…” She began apprehensively. “Do you want, maybe, to talk-”

 

“No.” Evelyn interjected. Helen flinched inwardly, though nodded. Tracing her fingers against the wooden tabletop in small circles, a flash of thought went through her mind rather suddenly. “I should be going now. But- well, I was thinking. What if we hung out?” She could  _ feel _ Evelyn’s quizzical stare on the back of her neck. “Later, I mean. Maybe another night?”

 

She heard the slosh of wine being poured into a glass, followed by the clinks of the bottle being set down, the softest scrap of the glass being lifted, and the quiet clatter when it was set back down.

 

“Sure, I guess.” Evelyn answered at last.

 

Helen let out the breath she hadn’t even been aware she was holding and nodded as she rose from her seat. 

 

“Alright. How does… maybe, three nights sound?”

 

“Friday?” Evelyn inquired after a glance to her calendar. “Okay. One condition; you don’t wear that stupid outfit.” Helen detected a taunt in her voice. Unlike before, when poking at her name, it almost sounded playful. The heroine arched her brows her way and Evelyn smirked, shrugging and readying to pour herself a third glass. “Just saying. I think my costume for you was better.”

 

“Riiight.” Helen said laughingly. She pushed her chair in and started toward the doorway, waving over her shoulder. “I’ll see you Friday.”

 

“Mmhm. Sounds like a plan.” While she didn’t wave, Evelyn nodded shortly at her. Helen turned the corner just as the woman raised her drink to her lips and she sighed gently, moving toward the door. 

 

She wanted to inquire more about the woman’s wellbeing, and while Evelyn had not been willing to speak about it, she hoped that maybe she could get something out of her during their little hang out Friday. For some reason or another, the thought of the future made her stomach flutter. She told herself it was because Evelyn made her vaguely nervous- but even then, why on Earth would that be?

 

_ Don’t dwell on it. _ Helen casually played it off to herself, and left it at that. 

 

Outside, the air had grown denser compared to that morning, the sky dark gray with the threat of an incoming storm. The super perched herself on her motorcycle and as she started the engine, hoped that she would beat the rain home.

 

As Helen peeled away from the mansion, she was none the wiser to the hooded person perched up on the roof, watching her depart and following her shape until she disappeared over the horizon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy late Birthday to me.  
> It was August 20.  
> This chapter's late and I'm sorryyyy-  
> Happy late Birthday to me.
> 
> Haha, on a bit of a more serious note, here we go! Back on track, I hope! I told myself that for my birthday I would finish this chapter and get this story rolling again, but theeen that did not happen!
> 
> For those who are wondering; my wrist is doing lots better!! But now my knee hurts (thank God I don't use my knees to write haha). I plan to get things going on a schedule again.
> 
> Thanks for being patient, and thank you for reading! <3
> 
> P.S.; you've all waited long enough. Next chapter is where things start getting shippy! ;)


	8. Update

Hello, everyone! 

Long time no talk, huh? I'd like to apologize about that -- college really swamped me! But with Thanksgiving break, I finally have time to sit down and write what I've been meaning to write.

So, first and foremost, I was looking over this fict the other day, and I realized it's a bit of a hot mess. I was trying to implement one hundred and one plot devices because I just had soooo many ideas! At first, I really thought I had something, but now that I look at it, I really.. didn't. For that reason, I have decided that I will discontinue this story.

Kind of.

I still very much intend to give you all a story revolving around the lovely ship that is Helen and Evelyn, and I finally know what kind of story I want to write. I have a skeleton ready for me to flesh out! My only concern is that I posted this story when the hype was higher; I'm mildly worried that not as many people will be around to read it. But I suppose a story is about the few who enjoy it, and not about the popularity. <3 

I plan on keeping this one up for a little bit, until I get the other one off the ground at least, and then I'll remove this. But all the same; thank you so much for those who supported this version of the story!! I hope to see you all on the new one, and I hope it's even better than this!

Thank you! I hope you have a lovely holiday, if you celebrate it. Winter is coming; stay warm!

Indromeda out.


End file.
